


Homecoming and Reunion

by the_blue_fairie



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-07-20
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:08:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25397437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_blue_fairie/pseuds/the_blue_fairie
Summary: Cass returns to Corona. A short piece for Cassunzel Week.
Relationships: Cassandra/Rapunzel (Disney: Tangled)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 52





	Homecoming and Reunion

Cassandra has felt warmth before.

On her travels, she has felt the warmth of gratitude from the people she has helped, the people she has protected, the people she has saved.

In a desert town, a gang of brigands had a child bound and gagged and held for ransom. Sword in hand, Cassandra made short work of them. She unbound the child, a frightened girl, and the girl had hugged her, held her tightly.

Cassandra did not like to be touched, did not know if she deserved such an embrace, but she accepted it.

When the girl ran to her mother’s arms, she stayed to look on. When the mother rose to thank her, she accepted the thanks, accepted the warmth of the woman’s loving hug. A mother’s warmth was a curious thing.

In a fair kingdom, a noble king took her by the hand in gratitude for good service rendered to the realm.

Cassandra has felt warmth before – and has accepted it.

Yet, when she returns to Corona and feels Rapunzel’s arms around her –

The feeling is strange.

Her body is brittle.

The walls she has around herself are cracking.

She thought they had cracked before.

At the child’s embrace, at the mother’s, at the touch of the king –

But Rapunzel –

With the Rapunzel, the walls go up instinctively, but crack just the same – as though some curse catches her in a time loop, in a moment replayed over and over –

Guarded – fragile –

There is warmth in Rapunzel’s embrace – but it is not the embrace of the child, of the mother. It is not the touch of royalty.

Tears leak from Cassandra’s eyes. In Rapunzel’s arms, she doesn’t have to be strong – and yet, in Rapunzel’s arms, she remembers her own strength.

She weeps and, in Rapunzel’s arms, is unashamed of her fragility, unashamed of her fragility but remembers in her heart that she is stronger than steel.

It’s okay to be weak – because it is not weakness. No matter what she has etched upon herself, like the engravings upon an artfully-wrought sword, it’s okay to –

It’s okay.


End file.
